Epiphone Les Paul Custom SIlver Burst - Real or Fake?

[RyanB1979]

Hi all, Please can someone give me some advice?

 

I have owned an Epiphone (?) Les Paul Custom Silver burst for a few years now, don't use it much so I was looking at selling it, and some people are saying it's a fake.

 

Please can anyone with the know how give me some advice?

 

Many Thanks.

 

Ryan.

[capmaster]

Compared to the picture to be found here:

 

http://epiphonewiki.com/index.php/File:LpcustomSilverburst.jpg

 

there are differences in the shape of the upper bout around the toggle switch, in the toggle switch positioning, and in the pickups. I am not an expert in evaluating guitars, and I don't know for sure how different the make of Epiphone guitars can be when manufactured in different factories in different countries, so I don't want to give a statement here which would be guess only.

 

Is there a serial number that could be matched with country and site of origin? I know this can be difficult - the code of my own Epiphone Les Paul 1960 Tribute is still not deciphered yet...

[RyanB1979]

Compared to the picture to be found here:

 

http://epiphonewiki.com/index.php/File:LpcustomSilverburst.jpg

 

there are differences in the shape of the upper bout around the toggle switch, in the toggle switch positioning, and in the pickups. I am not an expert in evaluating guitars, and I don't know for sure how different the make of Epiphone guitars can be when manufactured in different factories in different countries, so I don't want to give a statement here which would be guess only.

 

Is there a serial number that could be matched with country and site of origin? I know this can be difficult - the code of my own Epiphone Les Paul 1960 Tribute is still not deciphered yet...

 

Hi capmaster, Many thanks for your reply.

 

Yes, the serial number is - EE080416844

 

I had a look at - http://www.guitardaterproject.org/epiphone.aspx and got -

 

Your guitar was made at the

Qingdao Plant (Epiphone), China

April 2008

Production Number: 16844

 

Not sure how accurate that is, and also I'm told the some of the fakes use legit serial numbers.

 

I also posted this on - http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/105637-epiphone-les-paul-custom-silver-burst-real-or-fake/

and there is a picture of the serial number on that post.

 

x2 main things are telling me that this is quite possibly a fake

1 - The serial number starts with larger font 'EE' (sign of a fake??)

2 - The position of the volume knob closest to the bridge/tail piece.

 

Many Thanks.

[Whitmore Willy]

The Zakk Wylde and the Silver Burst Custom are probably the two most faked guitars in history.

This includes both Gibson and Epi versions.

 

Where did you buy yours? Off hand, it doesn't look good.

The knobs look to be in the wrong position. The toggle switch looks to be positioned wrong.

 

Other pics might help including a straight on shot of the headstock. A shot of the back of the headstock including the serial number

would help. Also, a shot of the control cavity.

 

At a glance there seems to be too much distance from the top tuning post to the top of the headstock.

The Epiphone name seems to be in the wrong position.

I have seen the Epiphone name written with a split "o" at the top. I have seen a few from 2010 that had no split.

I have never seen one with the split at the bottom.

 

The guitar dater does not prove authenticity. The EE should be the same size as the rest of the serial number.

The control cavity should also have a molex connector in the wiring.

 

There is also this:

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/epiphone-les-pauls/31153-fake-epiphone-thread-ii.html

 

Willy

[RyanB1979]

The Zakk Wylde and the Silver Burst Custom are probably the two most faked guitars in history.

This includes both Gibson and Epi versions.

 

Where did you buy yours? Off hand, it doesn't look good.

The knobs look to be in the wrong position. The toggle switch looks to be positioned wrong.

 

Other pics might help including a straight on shot of the headstock. A shot of the back of the headstock including the serial number

would help. Also, a shot of the control cavity.

 

At a glance there seems to be too much distance from the top tuning post to the top of the headstock.

The Epiphone name seems to be in the wrong position.

I have seen the Epiphone name written with a split "o" at the top. I have seen a few from 2010 that had no split.

I have never seen one with the split at the bottom.

 

The guitar dater does not prove authenticity. The EE should be the same size as the rest of the serial number.

The control cavity should also have a molex connector in the wiring.

 

There is also this:

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/epiphone-les-pauls/31153-fake-epiphone-thread-ii.html

 

Willy

 

Hi Willy,

 

Thanks for your response.

 

If you take a look at - http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/105637-epiphone-les-paul-custom-silver-burst-real-or-fake/

 

I have uploaded a picture of the rear of the headstock (this forum will not allow me to upload any more pictures).

 

I think you have some very good points, and agree that the things that you mention, such as the position of the knobs, and the toggle switch are a bit of a giveaway.

 

Many Thanks.

[capmaster]

There is some help for you here

 

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/epiphone-les-pauls/237179-f-serials-tributes-others.html

 

and here

 

http://epiphonewiki.com/index.php/Epiphone_Serial_Number_Decoding

 

Thanks, but the results were the same as when I last visited there... not completely deciphered...

[RyanB1979]

'papa' Willy is spot on

 

 

Sorry, your guitar is a fake

 

big fat EEs in the serial is a 100% giveaway

 

can we have a side shot where the neck meets the headstock ?

 

and a shot from the opened control cavity ?

 

Hi Midtowner,

 

Thanks for the replies, does this help -

 

 

Thanks.

[RyanB1979]

yep, it helps to be more than 100% sure it is a fake,

the headstock binding is too wide, and it should not go to the middle of the first fret

 

this is how it should look ^^

 

I bet the controll cavity isn't painted with black shilding paint and probably has no white quick-connector.....

 

Thanks again Midtowner.

 

Yes, agreed, it's a fake. (Bah!) Up until recently I was blissfully ignorant, and just assumed it was all legit.

 

Now I have to accept I got scammed when I purchased it in Nov 2008..

 

Thanks.

[RyanB1979]

Sorry - but true

 

where did you buy it ?

 

and you could always take a saw......

 

It was purchased on ebay, Nov 2008, hardly used it, attempted to sell it recently, only to discover it's a fake. Not funny, and of course I wish I had realised this almost 5 years ago... oh well, live and learn... (the b@stards!)

 

Cheers.